Denis will try to uncork late run in Illinois Derby

Undefeated Denis of Cork will be playing the favorite's role when he has his final prep for the May 3 Kentucky Derby in Saturday's Grade II $500,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course.

Post positions were drawn Monday, and the maternal grandson of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled drew Post 5 in the seven-horse race and was installed at 2-1 in the morning line.

Z Humor drew Post 3 and is the 3-1 second choice, while Atoned is the 4-1 third choice, leaving from Post 4. Both have high-profile trainers. Z Humor is conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and Atoned is from the conglomerate-style stable of Todd Pletcher, the nation's leading trainer the last four years.

Denis of Cork was on the track Monday morning at Churchill Downs for his last rehearsal in preparation for the Illinois Derby. Breezing 5 furlongs on a fast track, he was clocked in 59.40 seconds, third fastest of the 15 workouts at the distance.

"We're very happy with him and now, hopefully, he'll run big in Illinois," trainer David Carroll said after the workout. "We need to run big there."

Although Denis of Cork is lightly raced, he is a battle-tested traveler. His three prior conquests have come on tracks in three states. He won a late November maiden race at Churchill, prevailed by a head on a sloppy surface at the Fair Grounds in a January allowance race and outran 10 opponents for a 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade III Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 18.

After being ridden by two jockeys of 2007 Triple Crown fame and fortune -- Street Sense's Calvin Borel in his first two starts and Curlin's Robby Albarado in the Southwest -- Denis of Cork will have a new rider, Julien Leparoux.

"He'll fit [Denis of Cork] perfectly," Carroll said. "Julien is kind of a quiet rider and can get this horse in a nice rhythm."

Two other Kentucky Derby preps will be held Saturday -- the Grade I $1 million Santa Anita Derby and the Grade I $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. In the Wood, last year's champion 2-year-old War Pass will try to rebound from the only loss of his career, in the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby, a setback that caused him to fall to No. 7 in the poll.

The Santa Anita Derby is expected to bring together the top three in the California crop -- Colonel John, No. 6 Georgie Boy and No. 8 El Gato Malo.